1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a multimedia box network consisting of a data server comprising a mass storage means on which digital pieces of music and/or videos are stored and of a plurality of multimedia boxes, with each multimedia box comprising an operating apparatus, a local storage means and a player apparatus and with each multimedia box being connected to the data server by means of a first data link.
2. Description of the Related Art
Such a network is known, for example, from WO 92/01342. In accordance with WO 92/01342, a plurality of automatic jukeboxes are each linked to a central music storage means by means of a remote data transmission line, with said remote data transmission line preferably being an ISDN line. The automatic jukebox possesses in a known manner a coin acceptance device, a display, an input keypad and at least one loudspeaker and further possesses a digital to analog converter and amplifier for sound data recorded via the remote data transmission line.
From DE 42 44 198 A1, a network for a plurality of jukeboxes is known, said network having a decentralised structure. Here, no central storage device is provided for the pieces of music which can be played, but rather the pieces of music to be stored are distributed over a certain number of music player apparatus. The music player apparatuses are linked to one another in a network so that a piece of music can be requested from each music player unit to any other music player unit. A central computer additionally performs central management jobs, with, in particular, utilisation data of the individual music player apparatuses being stored on the central computer.
From U.S. Pat. No. 5,355,302, a network is known consisting of multiple jukeboxes, in which the individual jukeboxes are linked to a central management station in a star-shaped structure. The management station comprises a host computer and a mass storage device so that music data can be transmitted to the individual jukeboxes by the management station. In addition, the management station also takes over management jobs. For the servicing of the individual jukeboxes, a portable console is provided in each case which can be hooked up to the corresponding jukebox on site.
One disadvantage of the networks for jukeboxes described above is that either only central servicing by means of a central computer or, however, servicing on site for an individual jukebox is possible.
It is therefore the object of this invention to provide a high-performance network for multimedia boxes which allows a decentralised servicing of a plurality of multimedia boxes.
This object is obtained with the present invention which includes at least one management station comprising a computer being linked by means of a second data link to the data server and by means of a third data link to at least one multimedia box, with pieces of music and/or videos being able to be transmitted from the data server to the multimedia box via the first data link, with data on the pieces of music and/or videos available on the data server being able to be transmitted via the second data link and with data for the servicing and/or programming of the individual jukeboxes being able to be transmitted from the management station connected thereto via the third data link. In accordance with the invention, a management station is therefore provided in each case for a certain group of a plurality of multimedia boxes, such management station allowing a decentralised servicing of said multimedia boxes. The management station does not here take over the job of transmitting large volumes of data, but merely regulates the exchange of information between the data server and the individual multimedia boxes while taking into account the range of pieces of music and/or videos provided in each case for a multimedia box.
With the multimedia box network in accordance with the invention, it is thus possible to service and manage a plurality of multimedia boxes in a decentralised manner by one operator or one operating company. The operating company can, in turn, forward the programme range for a multimedia box or the service for the maintenance of the multimedia box to the end user in each case. In this way, a decentralised system is provided for the operation of a plurality of multimedia boxes which are, in turn, linked to a data server in a cost-favourable manner.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, the first data link between the data server and a multimedia box consists of an ISDN line.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, it is provided that a service database of the pieces of music and/or videos available on the data server is stored on the management station, with said service database being able to be updated via the second data link. Even in the case of a large volume of data of stored pieces of music and/or videos on the data server, the compilation of the titles available in each case represents only a relatively low volume of data so that these can be stored without problem on the corresponding management stations in a database, too. As soon as certain services should be performed with a management station, first a connection is made to the central data server to update the service database of the corresponding management station. For this purpose, the data server transmits an add command to the management station for each new title to be added and a delete command for titles to be deleted.
To simplify the management of the pieces of music and/or videos available in each case on the data server, it can be provided that the data server consists of a main server and an information server. While the actual data of the pieces of music and/or videos are stored on the main server, the information server only manages the titles stored on the main server, in which way the main server is relieved. Appropriately, in this process all the data on the data programme of the main server is stored in an information database on the information server, with the exchange of data between the main server and the information server being made via a parallel data link. However, it is naturally also possible for the information server to be separated in space from the main server and for it to communicate with the main server via a suitable serial data link.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment, it is provided that a user database of the user data is stored on the management station, by means of which via the third data link a servicing and/or programming of the multimedia box connected in each case is possible. In this way, on the management station, the information on the multimedia box connected in each case is available directly without any additional data transmission being required for this purpose. In particular, the status of the multimedia boxes connected to the management station in each case can be stored on the user database. With the management station, it is thus possible to modify on the multimedia box in each case certain graphics and presentation forms of the titles stored equally as, for example, billing procedures towards the operator of the management station in each case.
In accordance with another preferred embodiment, it is provided that a command to record pieces of music and/or videos onto a certain multimedia box can be sent by the management station connected thereto to the data server via the second data link and/or via an additional link, with the recording of pieces of music and/or videos on the certain multimedia box being performed via the first data link. As a result, on the basis of the information database, the titles to be newly recorded for a multimedia box are compiled on the management station and a corresponding command generated from this for the data server. This command is then sent to the data server. To the extent that on the part of the data server there is a separation between an information server and a main server, the sending of the command is preferably made directly via an additional data link to the main server. The additional data link here preferably consists of an ISDN line in the direction of the data server and of an Internet connection in the opposite direction to the management station. Via the ISDN line, the command can be sent fast and directly to the data server or the main server, while, as a rule, it is not necessary to wait for confirmation from the data server or the main server that the command has actually been performed. For this reason, it is meaningful to send the command confirmation of the data server or the main server via the Internet where the corresponding message can be stored as an e-mail and downloaded from the management station at a suitable opportunity.
With regard to the design of the third data link between the management station and a multimedia box, two possibilities exist: on the one hand, a direct data link consisting of an ISDN line can be set up between the management station and the multimedia box in each case. On the other hand, however, it is also feasible that the already existing data links in accordance with the first data link and the second data link can be utilised, by these being connected in series in a suitable manner. For example, it is feasible to use the additional data link to the main server described above to connect this to the ISDN line between the main server and a multimedia box. For this purpose, the main server receives a corresponding connection call from the management station and switches this through to the corresponding ISDN line. In a corresponding way, it is naturally also possible to utilise the ISDN line described above between the management station and the information server. A switching on to the first data link consisting of an ISDN line between the main server and a multimedia box is then performed via the parallel data link between the information server and the main server.
The recording of corresponding music data on the data server is performed preferably by means of a CD playing apparatus. However, it should be noted here that the data format of the music data stored on a CD is not suitable for transmission in large volumes of data. It is therefore appropriate to convert the music data stored on a CD into a suitable format for transmission, with, for example, the MPEG format being suitable for pieces of music or music data and the JPEG format for images. As part of the transmission of images, in particular cover images can also be transmitted, with, when a piece of music is being played by the multimedia box, an associated cover image being displayed.
In accordance with a preferred embodiment, it is provided that the operating unit of a multimedia box consists of a touch-screen monitor on which the digital pieces of music and/or videos stored in the local memory can be displayed and selected by finger pressure and forwarded to a player apparatus. The player apparatus here consists in a normal manner of an amplifier/loudspeaker apparatus for the playing of the pieces of music and, where required, of a video monitor to display cover images or to present video images.